Urban Growers Newsletter

Here we are in the first days of September and as I sit down to write this, I realized how long it has been since the last newsletter.

These last several months have been full of new opportunities and challenges that have expanded my work as a grower, taking me into farming for retail production. [I can now install long rows of drip tape, direct seed with a seed wheel 100+ foot lines, drive a tractor, kind of].

Taking stock grown here in the nursery, a 1 acre field on the campus of the University of Redlands SURF garden was planted this May/June. In addition, using plugs grown exclusively for Unity Farm in Cherry Valley, summer has been filled with growing over 5 acres of warm season organic vegetables & herbs; from seed to grocery store shelf - and beyond.

May I say summertime in the field is NOT fun. In the 1 acre Redlands plot, the rows of heirloom tomatoes I had high hopes for was a complete disappointment as was the watermelon patch that the birds enjoyed more than anyone else. Hot peppers, Ogen melon, Egyptian spinach have done the best but the volume needed to be worthwhile simply was not there [erratic water lead to pest and disease]. Donating produce from this field on three separate occasions to Family Services was simply the best. Nothing like knowing kids and grownups alike were enjoying locally grown watermelons on a hot miserable day. Hopefully they spit the seeds!

The silver lining to this multi-month adventure/learning curve/dark night of the soul is that I have learned how to grow in a larger scale, learned about building relationships with retail partners and seen first hand the beauty and challenges of the organic growing of not only nursery stock but produce and cut floral.

Our leaving the Redlands Saturday Morning Farmers Market to focus time and energy on the expansion of cut flower growing

Scaling back considerably production of artisan products [look for product mainly around the winter holidays].

So why flowers you ask? For the past several years, flowers have been calling to me. We have grown flowers for centerpieces at University Club cafe, a wedding last fall, farmers market bouquets and for our Farm Bouquets customers regularly order online as thoughtful gifts for others.

As I fell into the rabbit hole of researching, seed sourcing and growing unique varieties of heirloom and open-pollinated annual and perennial cut flower varieties, I began to look at the cut flower industry as a whole. Why was I not seeing variety/diversity on the market? Where were the majority of flowers we see being grown? How were they being grown? And WHERE were the organic flowers???

The reality is most cut flowers are grown outside of the United States, in places like Brazil and Ecuador where there is substantially less regulations regarding chemical use [many of the products used are outlawed here in the States]. Workers are paid pennies on the dollar for their labor and they are exposed repeatedly, from growing to post harvest handling to toxic, harmful pesticides, bactericides, fungicides and growth inhibitors .

These chemical filled products are now flown thousands of miles, polluting the atmosphere, leaving a huge carbon imprint and consuming precious natural resources. All of this for a handful of flower varieties that transport well but do not have fragrance, lack vibrancy and release whatever chemical inputs they have been exposed to either by our handling of them or simply into the air of our homes and offices.

If your'e like me, you miss the fragrance of flowers, the varieties seldom seen anymore. As fellow growers, you seek an organic approach to both the food you grow and buy, the products you put on your skin, in your homes. Flowers are another piece of the organic lifestyle, a small way of taking better care of ourselves and our environment by the choices we make.

We are thankful for the partner we have in Clark's Nutrition & Natural Foods Markets. First they took a chance with us bringing in heirloom plants to their stores over three years ago. Now, they have welcomed in our organic cut floral to their stores, believing as we do in living organically for ourselves and our planet.

Like our heirloom starter plants, look for our cut floral to be in rhythm with the season. And speaking of season, I hope you will join me at Clark's in Loma Linda on Thursday, September 29th - 7pm for a lecture focused on the culinary fall/winter garden. Please call 909-478-7714 to reserve a seat.

As we reflect on this past season and look ahead to another, let's give thanks for the lessons learned, the unexpected gifts our gardens have given us and remain hopeful of what's to come.

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It's that most wonderful time of the year. Okay, the second most wonderful, time when our mailboxes are brimming with seed catalogs and dreams of summer gardens have begun.

For most of us, heirloom tomatoes take center stage. There simply is NOTHING that can compare to a freshly picked, sun kissed, juicy tomato bursting with all of its magical goodness [except maybe a tree ripened peach but this newsletter is all about the queen, her majesty the tomato.]

This year, Rolling Hills is thrilled to be growing over 75+ varieties [10 are brand NEW this season] of organic heirloom and open-pollinated tomatoes starter plants. We have added more open pollinated [not as old as an heirloom but like an heirloom, you can save the seed and it will grow the same exact tomato variety in seasons ahead , its non-GMO and hey, if we don't keep these lovelies growing how will they ever become an heirloom?]

Many of the tomato varieties we grow are sourced from fellow small scale, family owned organic growers. This allows us to grow a wide variety of heirloom tomato [ + pepper!] starter plants however we do not grow a large volume of each one. This is where our annual Pre-Season Heirloom Tomato Sale + Annual Open House comes into play.

This week, we kick off our 3rd annual Heirloom Tomato Pre-Sale where every variety of heirloom tomato we are growing for 2016 is listed online for you to browse and select from. Simply place your heirloom tomato order online now through February 20th then join us on Saturday, March 12th [noon-4pm] here at our urban farm and nursery to not only pick up your beautiful, organic heirloom tomato starts but also SHOP from our entire 2016 season of heirloom veggies, herbs, flowers [plant and cut], PLUGS [1inch starts], medicinals + seasonal artisan products made from the bounty of our gardens.

So, mark your calendars to join us in March, grab a nice warm cup of tea and let the browsing commence! Let's get started on that warm season tomato bounty, shall we? https://squareup.com/market/rolling-hills

Enjoy the day,

Carrie-Anne

P.S. Look for newsletters to follow all about growing heirloom tomatoes.

This weekend will be Rolling Hills last farmers market of the year. It is a bitter-sweet moment, that is certain. While market is hard work, it is made so sweet by seeing you all - hearing of your gardens, your favorite new recipes, seeing the family, enjoying our community.

Community. It's no long just a simple word. What community truly is has never been more precious to us all than now. Like you, we have been working hard to find a sense of peace and balance these past days, taking solace in the garden, thankful for the time spent walking one of the many local trails and today , enjoying the snow in Forest Falls. May we all continue to find the beauty in our community and embrace it, build upon it and do our part to look for beauty when somedays there simply doesn't seem to be any.

We hope you will visit us this weekend and share the beauty of our local community, our local agriculture with your friends and loved ones this holiday season. Each of our herb sea salt blends, herb teas, floral wreath, skin products is made with the beauty and bounty of our Redlands urban gardens.

On the menu for this weekend :

Tulsi + Valencia Orange Tea. Tulsi a.k.a. Holy basil is an adaptogen that helps the bodies systems regulate and adapt to stress. There's a hint of cinnamon to gently warm and how we absolutely LOVE this three item blend.

Chamomile + Valencia Orange Tea. Made with a combination of German and Roman chamomile plus a dash of Anise Hyssop, this bright and sunny blend is also gently warming and comforting.

FLORAL WREATHS: Handcrafted with our organic manzanita, olive, lavender, Jerusalem sage + sustainably harvested local eucalyptus. Each wreath is approximately 12-14 inches. Wreaths are available only by pre order. Last day to get your order in for Saturday pick ups is Thursday, 12/17. Pick up for Christmas week will be Tuesday the 22 with orders needing to be placed by Saturday the 19th. Pick up will be here at the nursery.

Chili + Lime: A bold blend of a variety of heirloom HOT chili peppers that we have grown all season long mixed with our Mexican limes, some oregano + marjoram. LOVE this blend in tomato soup, on the rim of a bloody mary, grilled sea food, carrots and to liven up tortilla soup.

Meyer Lemon + Rosemary: Brightness just when the days get darker , nights get colder and longer. This blend is an amazing addition to a white bean soup, on wilted spinach or chard, steamed artichokes, pop corn, polenta cakes.

Comfrey + Chamomile lip balm with peppermint. Just what lips need this time of year. Nutrient rich, skin healing and soothing herbs [organically grown, of course] infused in into cold pressed olive oil then bound with local bees wax.

We sincerely look forward to seeing you this weekend at market. If we don't, we wish you and your family the most joy filled holiday season!